A man is in custody after he abused his power of attorney to defraud a vulnerable relative.
Martin Chubb appeared in the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, January 22.
The 58-year-old, of Grove Court, off Newtown Road, Newbury, admitted committing an offence of fraud in Newbury between January 1, 2020, and January 20 this year.
He did so by abusing his power of attorney, specifically, by acting against, or not safeguarding, the financial interests of Patricia Chubb in order to make a financial gain for himself.
A power of attorney is a legal document that allows someone to appoint one or more trusted people to make decisions on their behalf should they become incapacitated due to illness, accident or age.
Magistrates declined further jurisdiction and sent the case to be sentenced by a judge, with greater sentencing powers than their own, sitting at Reading Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
Chubb was meanwhile remanded in custody.
Magistrates said they were declining to release him on bail due to the nature and seriousness of the offence and because of the likely sentencing outcome.